Thale’s Sexy Beast and Other Fantastic Tails (NSFW)

New horror movie Thale is a tale dredged from the dark depths of Nordic folklore — or should we say, a tail. Norwegian director Aleksander Nordaas' first full-length feature revolves around a mythical seductress called a Huldra who prances around with a swishing posterior appendage like that of a cow.

It's a girl. With a tail. What's not to like? Besides spawning all manner of bovine puns since the trailer appeared in 2011, Thale, which premiered Feb. 17 in Norway and makes its U.S. debut at South by Southwest this Friday, has been hailed as the next The Troll Hunter, another Norwegian film that drew on the region's penchant for mythical creatures.

Yes, Thale's title (pronounced "tal-uh") sounds like the words "tale" and "tail," but it's also a common Norwegian surname with German roots, says the 30-year-old Nordaas. "It has the meaning of 'noble air' — so it's something ancient, something that's been around a long time," he told Wired by Skype.

In the world of sci-fi and fantasy, tails and the creatures that wield them go waaay back. (Mermaids date back to Assyria around 1000 B.C.) Why are humans so fascinated by creatures with tails? On the one hand, fusing animal traits with people is weird. On the other, tails usually get you shunned from society, which is pretty relatable.

"If we attach a tail to someone who kind of looks like us, it kind of defines that character as something not human," Nordaas said. "And people are going to be interested in that."

Check out the gallery above to see a rather risque image of Thale's Huldra, plus some other pop-culture creatures best known for their notorious tails.

Huldra (Thale)

A huldra is only ever seen with the tail of a cow, according to Nordaas. Legend has it the creature takes the form of an alluring woman, and her back is hollowed out like a tree. She lures men into the forest — where, if they fail to please her, they will remain.

Special move: You'll find out — soon. "It's used in a bit of an awkward way, but I don't want to give away too much," says Nordaas.

Charmander (Pokemon)

The flame at the end of the fire lizard's tail is its chi, or life force. If it goes out, Char dies (though this never happens in the TV series or the games).

Nightcrawler (Marvel Universe)

His 3.5-foot-long prehensile tail accompanies him during wall-scaling, backflips and lizard-like leaps. Probably inherited from his shape-shifting mutant mom, it's an elongation of Nightcrawler's extra-flexible spine.

Special move: Can use it to wield weapons or pick up people.

Dren (Splice)

Dren's tail isn't that surprising, once you consider that she's a Frankenstein-esque blend of animal and human DNA brought to life by rogue scientists Elsa (Sarah Polley) and Clive (Adrien Brody) in sci-fi movie Splice.

Miles 'Tails' Prower (Sonic the Hedgehog)

That spiky blue blur gets most of the glory, but he never would have made it to Dr. Robotnik without this loyal sidekick. Dual tails make Miles, the bashful boy fox of the Sega videogame, resemble the many-tailed kitsune of Japanese folklore.

Special move:
In Sonic 3, uses tails to helicopter around and lift Sonic over dangerous obstacles.

Aximili Esgarrouth Isthill (Animorphs)

In the biologically educational series by K.A. Applegate, Ax finds himself light-years from home and wanted by some of the baddest space slugs around. Fortunately, this intergalactic warrior won't face his fate unarmed: All Andalites come equipped with swiveling eyestalks, telepathy and a lightning-fast tail that ends in a wickedly curved scythe.

Special move:
When striking, can turn tail blade flat to knock victim out. The question is ... are you feeling lucky?

Goku (Dragon Ball Z)

He wields a fur-covered monkey tail reminiscent of Zidane Tribal from Final Fantasy IX. In both cases, the extra appendage reminds us that our protagonist is not quite what he appears — human, that is. Though it comes with certain powers, Goku's tail can also be a weakness, rendering him incapacitated when grabbed.

Special move: Transforms into an enormous ape at the full moon.

Tigger (Winnie the Pooh)

Hidden spring action makes Tigger's tail perfectly suited for tree-swinging, rope-jump and fits of unbridled optimism that never fail to piss off Rabbit.

Special move: Can bounce on tail sans hands or feet.

Mauricio (Shallow Hal)

At the end of this unexpectedly touching rom-com, Mauricio (Jason Alexander) reveals to Hal (Jack Black) the secret he's been hiding from the world: a vestigial tail-nub.

Special move:
Attracts women, if you're into that kind of thing.

Ariel (The Little Mermaid)

Ariel's powerful fins are the only things separating her from her beloved Prince Erik. So the teenage mermaid goes to the sea witch Ursula, who helps her shed them — for a price. In the Brothers Grimm version, the halving wracks her with unspeakable pain.

Special move: Propels her through the water while she saves Erik from a storm.

Wilykit and Wilykat (ThunderCats)

In the land of Thundera, it's social stigma to have a bushy tail, which renders you "less evolved" than the tailless upper class. Feline nobles are usually born sans tails; others have theirs hacked via an operation.

Special move: Lends the acrobatic ThunderKittens balance and poise, according to art director Dan Norton.

Blowback: What’s Your Favorite Sci-Fi or Fantasy Tail?

We showed you ours, now you show us yours. What’s your favorite tailed character from the sci-fi, fantasy or other pop-culture realms? Tell us in the comments section below.